XN000022-1976-05-19 — Page 3

WEDNESDAY, MAY 19, 1976

DRUG ADDICTS SPEND $500 MILLION A YEAR

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HONG KONG'S DRUG ADDICTS SPEND ABOUT $500 MILLION A YEAR ON SUPPORTING THE HABIT.

THIS ESTIMATE DESCRIBED BY THE COMMISSIONER FOR NARCOTICS, MR. E.. LEE, AS VERY CONSERVATIVE+ WAS DISCLOSED BY HIM AT THE CUSTOMS CONFÉRENCE GOING ON IN HONG KONG AT PRESENT.

THE CONFERENCE, SPONSORED JOINTLY BY THE HONG KONG PREVENTIVE SERVICE AND UNITED STATES CUSTOMS SERVICE, IS ATTENDED BY MORE THAN 25 DELEGATES FROM OVER A DOZEN COUNTRIES.

MR. LEE SAID THAT THE SUM WAS EQUIVALENT TO MORE THAN THE ANNUAL COST OF RUNNING THE POLICE FORCE, THE COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY DEPARTMENT AND THE PRISONS DEPARTMENT, AND ALMOST EQUALS THE GOVERNMENT'S TOTAL RECEIPTS FROM ITS DUTIES ON LIQUOR, TOBACCO AND HYDROCARBON OILS.

MR.

HE SAID THE SOCIAL IMPLICATIONS WERE VERY CONSIDERABLE. LEE POINTED OUT THAT ALL OF HONG KONG'S ILLICIT OPIATE DRUGS CAME FROM THE GOLDEN TRIANGLE WHERE THE BORDERS OF BURMA, LOAS AND THAILAND MEET, BY AIR OR SEA, IN BULK, IN MERCHANDISE OR BY COURIERS.

HE SAID THAT THIS WAS NOT A PROBLEM THAT COULD BE SOLVED BY INTERNAL MEANS ONLY.

+WE THEREFORE SUPPORT INTERNATIONAL ACTION, THE GROWING EFFECTIVENESS OF WHICH IS EVIDENCED BY THE INCREASING INTEREST BEING PAID ALL OVER SOUTH-EAST ASIA TO REGIONAL CO-OPERATION,+ HE SAID.

HE ADDED THAT THE SEVEN-DAY CONFERENCE WAS PERSONALISED BY THE PRESENCE OF THE UNITED NATIONS REGIONAL CO-ORDINATOR AND AN INTERPOL REGIONAL LIAISON OFFICER.

+THE HONG KONG POLICE ALSO HAS AN OFFICER ATTACHED TO THE BRITISH EMBASSY IN BANGKOK FOR LIAISON AND CO-OPERATION WITH THE THAI AUTHORITIES AND THE UNITED STATES DRUG ENFORCEMENT ADMINISTRATION IN THAT CITY. AGAIN. THE SPECIAL EXPERTISE OF ANOTHER POLICE OFFICER STATIONED AT INTERPOL HEADQUARTERS IN PARIS, IS PROVING INVALUABLE IN HELPING TO COMBAT THE FLOW OF DRUGS FROM SOUTH-EAST ASIA TO EUROPE,+ MR. LEE SAID.

HE ADDED: +YET ANOTHER POLICE OFFICER IS SHORTLY TO BE POSTED TO THE METROPOLITAN POLICE HEADQUARTERS IN LONDON FOR SIMILAR INTERNATIONAL LIAISON DUTIES,

+ INTERNATIONALLY, WE ALSO ASSIST BY OFFERING TRAINING FACILITIES TO THE UNITED NATIONS AND ITS CONSISTUENT INSTITUTIONS, AND TO INDIVIDUAL GOVERNMENTS ON A BILATERAL BASIS. FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS WE HAVE, ADDITIONALLY, CONTRIBUTED $100,000 A YEAR TO THE UNITED NATIONS FUND FOR DRUG ABUSE CONTROL IN SUPPORT OF ITS GLOBAL CONTROL EFFORTS.+

/MR, LEE